A Zimbabwean woman residing in Ireland, Precious Moyo, 38, claimed to have a powerful “juju” that would protect her and her Syrian accomplice, Yamen Alhamada, as they carried out a series of robberies targeting elderly pensioners.
The pair stole approximately US$36,000 from six vulnerable victims between the ages of 73 and 89, all of whom Moyo had cared for as part of her job as a care worker. One of the victims later passed away, three months after the crimes took place.
Moyo, a mother of three, and Alhamada, a Syrian refugee and college student, were arrested after police traced their movements using CCTV footage and forensic evidence. Moyo was seen in footage handling large sums of money, while the police uncovered a series of crimes spanning several months. Moyo’s first known theft occurred when she targeted a 73-year-old woman, stealing a handbag containing €24,000. She then hurriedly left the scene and took a taxi back home.
Alhamada, who fled Syria to escape the war, explained that he had followed Moyo’s instructions because she had convinced him that her juju would protect him from harm. Both Moyo and Alhamada pleaded guilty to the crimes and were sentenced to prison. Moyo received an eight-year sentence, while Alhamada was sentenced to six years.
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Moyo, who had previously worked for a home care agency, explained that her troubled past—including a violent marriage, depression, isolation from her family, and drug addiction—led her to a life of crime. She justified her actions by blaming her difficult circumstances. Alhamada, meanwhile, said his criminal behavior stemmed from drug and alcohol abuse and the pressure of a significant drug debt.
The crime spree included violent burglaries, with Moyo using her intimate knowledge of the victims’ homes to exploit their vulnerabilities. The pair’s actions left the elderly victims traumatized, some of them unable to live independently or in constant fear of further victimization. Judge Keenan Johnson described their crimes as heartbreaking and callous, noting that Moyo had violated the trust of the people she cared for. He also emphasized that the case should not be seen as representative of all immigrants, who contribute positively to Irish society.
Although the defense argued for a reduced sentence based on their guilty pleas and remorse, the judge made it clear that the impact on the victims was severe, and the court needed to send a strong message about the seriousness of the offenses. The crime spree took place between June and September of the previous year, with Moyo and Alhamada committing multiple robberies in various locations around Athlone and nearby areas. Precious Moyo
